“Well, that’s all,” said Bonaparte.
“Shall I add the sacramental words: ‘Vive la République!’?”
“Why do you ask that?”
“Because we have issued no proclamation during the last four months, and something may be changed in the ordinary formulas.”
“The proclamation will do as it is,” said Bonaparte, “add nothing to it.”
Taking a pen, he dashed rather than wrote his signature at the bottom of the paper, then handing it to Bourrienne, he said: “See that it appears in the ‘Moniteur’ to-morrow.”
Bourrienne left the room, carrying the proclamation with him.
Bonaparte, left alone with Lord Tanlay, walked up and down the room for a moment, as though he had forgotten the Englishman’s presence; then he stopped suddenly before him.
“My lord,” he asked, “do you think you obtained from your uncle all that another man might have obtained in your place?”
“More, citizen First Consul.”